Mostly About Organized Crime

11/30/2011

Seven reputed mobsters -- four Gambinos and three Bonannos -- are among the twenty suspects arrested by ICE agents in New York City for their alleged roles in trafficking women from Russia and Eastern Europe on fraudulent visas to work in area strip clubs as reported by the Daily News: "visa rules would have barred them from adult entertainment, though, so the suspects arranged bogus offers for summer waitressing jobs and then had the women apply for seasonal visas, prosecutors said." Once stateside the defendants allegedly arranged up to 150 sham marriages to provide the buxom beauties with U.S. citizenship, and their supposed husbands were paid up to $5,000 to say "I do" as reported by WCBS.

The alleged mobsters are further charged with controlling "four strip clubs in Queens and Long Island" as reported by The Associated Press: "their owners were forced to make payments in exchange for protection, which included the resolution of disputes among strip clubs over which dancers work where and over ownership interests in certain clubs."

The "women — who worked at places including Cheetahs in Midtown Manhattan; Rouge in Maspeth, Queens; and the Scene in Commack, Suffolk County — became 'personal profit centers' for the defendants, according to Preet Bharara, the United States attorney in Manhattan" as reported by Al Baker for The New York Times.

The alleged Gambino defendants are capo Alphonse Trucchio, soldier William "Old Man Willy" or "The Grandfather" Pazienza Sr., and associates Christopher Colon and Richard Gutkowski, and the alleged Bonanno defendants are capo Anthony "The Walker" or "Perry Como" Frascone and associates Paul Casella and Lawrence Zaino.

The Italians allegedly were working with reputed Russian mobsters.

But notwithstanding its fondness for the flesh trade remember that the Mafia really does respect family, women and children; I know this because the Mafia tells us so.